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The purpose of this study is to evaluate the benefits and risks of lixisenatide (AVE0010) in comparison to placebo, as an add-on treatment to metformin with or without sulfonylurea, over a period of 24 weeks of treatment.

The primary objective is to assess the effects on glycemic control of lixisenatide (AVE0010) in comparison to placebo as an add-on treatment to metformin with or without sulfonylurea in terms of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction (absolute change) at Week 24.

The secondary objectives are to assess the effects of lixisenatide over 24 weeks on percentage of patients reaching HbA1c less than (< ) 7 percent (%) or HbA1c less than or equal to (<=) 6.5%, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) and glucose excursion during standardized meal test, body weight; to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic (PK) and anti-lixisenatide antibody development.

Efficacy and Safety of Lixisenatide in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Insufficiently Controlled by Metformin (With or Without Sulfonylurea): a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Parallel-group, Placebo-controlled Study With 24-week Treatment Period

Absolute change = HbA1c value at Week 24 minus HbA1c value at baseline. The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to 3 days after the last dose of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest. For a patient to be included in mITT population, both baseline and at least 1 post baseline on-treatment assessment for at least 1 efficacy variable, were required.

Change was calculated by subtracting Baseline value from Week 24 value. The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to 1 day after the last dose of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest. For a patient to be included in mITT population, both baseline and at least 1 post baseline on-treatment assessment for at least 1 efficacy variable, were required.

The 2-hour PPG test measured blood glucose 2 hours after eating a standardized meal. Change was calculated by subtracting Baseline value from Week 24 value. The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to the last dosing day of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest.

Change was calculated by subtracting Baseline value from Week 24 value. The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to 3 days after the last dose of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest. For a patient to be included in mITT population, both baseline and at least 1 post baseline on-treatment assessment for at least 1 efficacy variable, were required.

Percentage of Patients With Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) Level Less Than 7% at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Week 24 ]

The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to 3 days after the last dose of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest. For a patient to be included in mITT population, both baseline and at least 1 post baseline on-treatment assessment for at least 1 efficacy variable, were required.

Percentage of Patients With Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) Level Less Than or Equal to 6.5% at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Week 24 ]

The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to 3 days after the last dose of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest. For a patient to be included in mITT population, both baseline and at least 1 post baseline on-treatment assessment for at least 1 efficacy variable, were required.

Glucose excursion = 2-hour PPG minus plasma glucose 30 minutes prior to the standardized meal test, before study drug administration. Change was calculated by subtracting Baseline value from Week 24 value. The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to the last dosing day of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest.

Percentage of Patients Requiring Rescue Therapy During Main 24-Week Period [ Time Frame: Baseline up to Week 24 ]

The on-treatment period for this efficacy variable is the time from the first dose of study drug up to 3 days after the last dose of study drug or up to the introduction of rescue therapy, whichever is the earliest. For a patient to be included in mITT population, both baseline and at least 1 post baseline on-treatment assessment for at least 1 efficacy variable, were required.

Number of Patients With Symptomatic Hypoglycemia and Severe Symptomatic Hypoglycemia [ Time Frame: First dose of study drug up to 3 days after the last dose administration ]

Symptomatic hypoglycemia was an event with clinical symptoms that were considered to result from a hypoglycemic episode with an accompanying plasma glucose less than 60 mg/dL (3.3 mmol/L) or associated with prompt recovery after oral carbohydrate, intravenous glucose, or glucagon administration, if no plasma glucose measurement was available. Severe symptomatic hypoglycemia was symptomatic hypoglycemia event in which the patient required the assistance of another person and was associated with either a plasma glucose level below 36 mg/dL (2.0 mmol/L) or prompt recovery after oral carbohydrate, intravenous glucose, or glucagon administration, if no plasma glucose measurement was available.

1-step initiation regimen of lixisenatide: 10 microgram (mcg) once daily (QD) for 2 weeks, followed by 20 mcg QD up to Week 24.

Drug: Lixisenatide (AVE0010)

Self administered by subcutaneous injections once daily within the hour preceding breakfast.

Device: Pen auto-injector

Other Name: OptiClik®

Drug: Metformin

Metformin to be continued at stable dose (at least 1.0 gram per day and not more than 1.5 gram per day) up to Week 24.

Drug: Sulfonylurea

Sulfonylurea if given at screening, to be continued up to Week 24. In patients with a screening HbA1c <8% the dose is decreased by 25% to 50% at randomization and then increased up to the screening dose between Week 4 and 12 as per fasting self-monitored plasma glucose (SMPG) values. In patients with a screening HbA1c >=8%, the dose is not to be changed at randomization. In any case, after Week 12, sulfonylurea is to be continued at a stable dose.

Self administered by subcutaneous injections once daily within the hour preceding breakfast.

Device: Pen auto-injector

Other Name: OptiClik®

Drug: Metformin

Metformin to be continued at stable dose (at least 1.0 gram per day and not more than 1.5 gram per day) up to Week 24.

Drug: Sulfonylurea

Sulfonylurea if given at screening, to be continued up to Week 24. In patients with a screening HbA1c <8% the dose is decreased by 25% to 50% at randomization and then increased up to the screening dose between Week 4 and 12 as per fasting self-monitored plasma glucose (SMPG) values. In patients with a screening HbA1c >=8%, the dose is not to be changed at randomization. In any case, after Week 12, sulfonylurea is to be continued at a stable dose.

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Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

- Type 2 diabetes mellitus, diagnosed for at least 1 year before screening visit, insufficiently controlled with metformin alone or metformin with sulfonylurea at the time of the screening visit

Exclusion criteria:

HbA1c <7% or greater than (>) 10% at screening

At the time of screening age < legal age of majority

Pregnant or breastfeeding women or women of childbearing potential with no effective contraceptive method

Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Treatment with metformin not at a stable dose of at least 1.0 gram per day or more than 1.5 gram per day for at least 3 months prior to screening visit

In case of treatment with sulfonylurea, if the sulfonylurea dosage is less than the maximum effective dose (that is, half of the maximum recommended dose according to local labeling), or is not at a stable (unchanged) dose for at least 3 months prior to screening

Weight change of >5 kg during the 3 months preceding the screening visit

History of unexplained pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatectomy, stomach/gastric surgery, or inflammatory bowel disease or patients considered by the investigator at high risk for acute pancreatitis (for example, with known history of biliary gallstone[s], or with very high triglyceride level [>=5.65 mmol/L]) at the time of screening

Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or genetic conditions that predispose to medullary thyroid cancer (for example, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes);

History of metabolic acidosis, including diabetic ketoacidosis within 1 year prior to screening

Hemoglobinopathy or hemolytic anemia, receipt of blood or plasma products within 3 months prior to the time of screening

Within the last 6 months prior to screening: history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure requiring hospitalization

Known history of drug or alcohol abuse within 6 months prior to the time of screening

Cardiovascular, hepatic, neurological, endocrine disease, active malignant tumor or other major systemic disease or patients with short life expectancy making implementation of the protocol or interpretation of the study results difficult, history or presence of clinically significant diabetic retinopathy, history or presence of macular edema likely to require laser treatment within the study period

Uncontrolled or inadequately controlled hypertension at the time of screening with a resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >180 millimeter of mercury (mmHg) or >95 mmHg, respectively

Any clinically significant abnormality identified on physical examination, laboratory tests, electrocardiogram, or vital signs at the time of screening that, in the judgment of the investigator or any sub-investigator, precludes safe completion of the study or constrains efficacy assessment

Patients who are considered by the investigator or any sub-investigator as inappropriate for this study for any reason (for example, impossibility to meet specific protocol requirements, such as attending scheduled visits, being able to do self-injections; likelihood of requiring treatment during the screening phase and treatment phase with drugs not permitted by the clinical study protocol; investigator or any sub-investigator, pharmacist, study coordinator, other study staff or relative thereof directly involved in the conduct of the protocol)

Use of oral or injectable antidiabetic or hypoglycemic agents other than metformin and sulfonylurea (for example, alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, thiazolidinedione, glucagon-like peptide -1 [GLP-1], receptor agonist, dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 inhibitors, insulin) within 3 months prior to the time of screening

Use of systemic glucocorticoids (excluding topical application or inhaled forms) for 1 week or more within 3 months prior to the time of screening

Use of any investigational drug within 3 months prior to screening;

Participation in a previous study with lixisenatide

Renal impairment defined with creatinine >1.4 mg/dL in women and creatinine >1.5 mg/dL in men

Clinically relevant history of gastrointestinal disease associated with prolonged nausea and vomiting, including, but not limited to gastroparesis, unstable (that is, worsening) and not controlled (that is, prolonged nausea and vomiting) gastroesophageal reflux disease requiring medical treatment, within 6 months prior to the time of screening

Allergic reaction to any GLP-1 agonist in the past (for example, exenatide, liraglutide) or to metacresol

Additional exclusion criteria at the end of the run-in phase: informed consent withdrawal; lack of compliance during the single-blind placebo run-in phase (>2 injections missed); and patient with any adverse event which precludes the inclusion in the study, as assessed by the investigator

Contacts and Locations

Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01169779